Dear Biological Father
by gardensigernumbli
Summary: Dear Kazekage-sama. Another assassination attempt? Really? Just wanted to let you know that I no longer consider you my father. Because at some point, Temari must have thought he was a good person, right?


A/N: Just wanted to experiment with Temari's view of her father as time went on. Because at some point, she must have thought he was a good person, right?

* * *

Dear Mom,

Dad won't let me see Gaara. Does he look like you? I hope not. Dad's been acting kind of funny lately since Gaara was born. Everyone is.

I miss you.

* * *

Dear Gaara,

So apparently you tried to hurt some kid on the street today. What are you?

Dear Mom,

Happy birthday, I guess.

* * *

Dear Father,

I hope they're lying. The whole village is talking about you trying to assassinate Gaara. They can't be telling the truth, right? I really don't want to believe them, but part of me actually does. I feel like a horrible daughter, but if it's true, then you're an even worse father. What am I supposed to say to Kankuro? How am I supposed to tell him that they're telling the truth, that our father just tried to kill our brother?

* * *

Dear Father,

So you really were trying to kill him. What's wrong with you?

Dear Gaara,

I'm sorry.

* * *

Dear Father,

What the hell did you do to Gaara? When I first saw him, all he did was cry. Now he looks like pure murder. He's supposed to be my innocent little brother! I'm supposed to tease him, or yell at him, and he's supposed to annoy me! He's not supposed to try to kill Kankuro as soon as he meets him. Maybe it's not all your fault, maybe I could have done more. But I can't help but blame you for it.

Dear Mom,

I formally met Gaara for the first time today. He doesn't look anything like you. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Dear Gaara,

If you ever try to hurt Kankuro again, I'll kill you. I don't care if I die trying.

* * *

Dear Father.

I'm sorry. I made the mistake of trusting you. You know, I originally thought you put the three of us in a team to make up for the fucked up childhood you put us through. Guess not. What are we, fodder for your experiments? Gaara's been targeted since he was six, because of the damn demon you put in him. Why me and Kankuro? Kankuro's still in the hospital. I don't think he's over the shock quite yet. I don't blame him. I can't believe you actually tried to kill all of your children. With all the times you've actually been at home, all the niceties, I thought you were finally getting better at being a father. And then you go and pull this. Don't worry. I won't make the mistake of trusting you ever again.

Dear Kankuro,

Get better. I've recently realized that I never tried to protect Gaara from our father. It occurs to me that I haven't tried to protect you either.

Dear Gaara,

I'm sorry that I never tried to stop him.

* * *

Dear Kazekage-sama.

Another assassination attempt? Really? Just wanted to let you know that I no longer consider you my father.

* * *

Dear Kazekage-sama.

Betray Konoha. Sure, that's easy. After all, you've been betraying your own family for about six years now. Typical.

* * *

Dear Mom,

Gaara kept saying something about feeding you blood during the Chuunin Exams. He also apologized. What have you been telling him?

Dear Kazekage-sama.

I had a moment of confusion during the invasion. That Uchiha Sasuke kid got through Gaara's impenetrable defense. Twice. At first, I thought, "He's a monster." Then I remembered.. "No... the real monster is..." and that's when I couldn't think straight. My first impulse was to think that Gaara was the monster. That's what I've been taught to think ever since he killed Mom. But I kept thinking that Uchiha was a monster, just for attacking my little brother. But he's really only doing his duty as a shinobi of Konoha. Gaara's not a monster anymore. He's my little brother, who kills because he doesn't know any other way of living. It's not his fault. It's yours. You made him this way. You were the monster all along.

* * *

Dear Biological Father,

I didn't know what to call you. You're not the Kazekage anymore. But you're not my father either. Just someone who contributed his genes to a so-called waste of life. Is it weird that I'm happy you're dead? Maybe not. Kankuro's ecstatic. He took off the Kabuki paint for the first time in years. I don't think he's ashamed to look like you anymore. Gaara actually smiled today. I think it was a smile, at least. Maybe he'll become a normal person, now that you're gone from our lives. I think this might be the best thing you've ever done for us. Thank you for dying.

* * *

Temari placed the bundle of papers on her father's gravestone. Pulling out a lighter, she lit the corner of one of the sheets and watched the flames spread.

"You could have reused that," Kankuro said from behind her. "Paper's expensive enough as it is."

She didn't look back. "Twelve years' worth of letters and pain. I think it's worth burning a few sheets of paper for that."

Kankuro raised an eyebrow as he knelt next to her. They watched the flames consume the paper, leaving behind a small mound of ash.

"Letters?"

Temari nodded. She reached forward, and wrote in the ash with her fingertips.

_Dear Biological Father._

_Fuck you._

They watched as the wind blew the message away.

* * *

A/N: The whole assassination thing- The Kazekage probably never tried to kill Temari and Kankuro, but I'm sure they must have gotten in the way of Gaara's assassinations a few times.


End file.
